I grew up eating hot cross buns at Easter. My mom would come back from the grocery store with a bag filled with a double layer of 8 hot crossed buns. We’d heat them up in the oven for a few minutes and then eat the warm buns for breakfast. The only thing I hated about the buns was that they were always studded with candied fruit, which I’d pick out and leave on my plate in a little heinous pile. Candied fruits are the roots of all evil and I had no idea why someone would sully a perfectly good treat with those little bites of raunch.

I haven’t had a hot cross bun in years and while strumming through an old Betty Crocker kid’s cookbook that I had thrifted ages ago, I came across a perfect recipe. Why was it so perfect? Well, truth is, I’m intimidated by baking with yeast. I don’t know why, but somehow I associate baking bread with serious devotion….an undertaking I didn’t feel quite ready to tackle. Until now. I mean, this recipe is meant to be made by children, so really, how hard can it be? I felt perfectly at home trying this recipe instead of one I had been eying for years which seemed too complex and frightening for a newbie like me.

For a greenhorn, I chose right. It may not be as authentic as Delia’s, but my hot cross buns were delicious (my husband called them delectable) and I was able to get over my fear of baking with yeast in one fell swoop. They were light and crispy on the outsides just out of the oven and the icing I doctored with vanilla and cinnamon was the perfect accompaniment. Plus, the best part was that I subbed out those nasty candied fruits with fresh orange zest to wonderful effect! The fruity orange essence was present without those god-awful bitter vile beasties. Oh yah, let my bread baking adventures begin! It’s on, bitches.

1. In a mixing bowl, disolve yeast into water and stir in sugar. Wait until the yeast doubles in volume (this is called proofing the yeast – if it doesn’t, you’ve got bum yeast. Try again with another packet). Stir in half of the flour, salt and spices. Add in egg and butter and mix well. Add in rest of the flour along with the raisins and zest and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover the bowl with a cloth, letting rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

2. Oil up a large muffin tin and set aside. Stir down the batter and spoon dough into prepared muffin cups filling half full. Cover tin with cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, another 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 15 minutes or so until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

3. Prepare frosting by mixing together icing sugar with a few drops of milk and vanilla. Stir in cinnamon, adding another droplet of milk if necessary to get a smooth, creamy consistency. When buns have cooled, use a spoon to drizzle icing over the buns forming a cross. Place on a plate to catch any drippings.

28 comments to “happy easter: hot cross buns with cinnamon icing”

Since, I’m not Catholic I never once made the connection between Easter and hot cross buns…I mean, it was children’s song that first introduced me to these buns, not religion.I have eaten nasty supermarket brand hot cross buns and back then (as a youngster) I do not re-call them ever making a lasting impression on me…I never liked raisins, nor sweet, yeasty bread and I always wanted the icing to be good and plenty, smothered like a cinnamon danish bun, not just a thin cross. As an adult, I’d be willing to give hot cross buns another go but I too, have reservations about baking with yeast. Perhaps one day I’ll feel adventurous enough to partake in yeast baking. Right now, I’ll just admire your hot cross buns :D

Do not fear baking with yeast. It is so easy even I can do it. And you can even buy it in dinky little packages and don’t have to worry about measuring it or anything.

If you have an oldish ‘fridge there is just the right amount of heat on the top of it to make things rise. Newer ones are just too darn efficient. Or teach yourself patience and let things rise overnight – and you can even do that inside the fridge.

Oh, J., this is a fabulous, lovely blog! I must have known about it before, but I don’t know… it got lost in the shuffle? And then, when I was surfing a bunch of other blogs’ links, I came upon yours by accident! I added it to my list on my health/weight loss blog. :)

No no no. how can YOU be afraid of baking with yeast? You with your vegan cookies and other treats with not an egg or drop of milk in sight. I guess we all have our achilles heel. If you’re up for it, a divine yeasty (and Danish) treat is brunsviger cake. Your buns look yummy!

Yeast is not so scary at all if you just give it a go. I don’t know why, but whenever I bake bread and get to take a loaf out of the oven at the end, I get this huge feeling of satisfaction. Don’t miss out on it!The buns look great and I’m with you on the candied fruit, blechhhhh.

I’m quietly playing with yeast recipes at the mo’, cos sometimes I can get it to work and other times… not so much! So yay for fab recipes that make it a joy to use :-) Will definitely be giving these scrumptious-looking treats a whirl!

We dislike hot cross buns for the same reason – that awful candied fruit! Yay for this recipe, it sounds a million times better than the store bought ones. I agree with everyone else, don’t fear the yeast! If I can do it, anyone can.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks candied fruit is the root of all evil :P I hate that stuff with a passion and used to always pick mine out of the hot cross buns too at Easter! I’m going to have to try your recipe …

Trust me, yeast breads are so, so forgiving when it comes to making them.

And 9 times out of 10, even if they looks bad, they’re still going to taste great. Even after a couple of years of sometimes-not-great results, I can think of only one yeast bread I’ve ever made that wasn’t at least edible.

The hot cross buns look great! I never really liked them (possibly due to the candied fruit in them) but I think over the years I’ve gotten used to them and want a bite every once in a while. I’m sure they’re way better fresh from the oven than from Safeway.

I SOOOO missed making Hot Cross Buns this year – I was traveling over Easter – your recipe brought back happy memories and I just might have to re-celebrate Easter because I know I’m not going to be able to stop thinking about those hot cross buns!